wrote in message
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stuff snipped

It was winter, so the roaches were pretty slow...had my pants tied shut
around my ankles so's no roaches would be tempted to run for cover. I
was young and foolish, still furnishing my home and got some real
bargains that day ) Farm auctions were more fun )

I had heard about these ladies from a doctor who cared for them. His
complaint was that they never bathed....they had a houseful of cats and
the cats used the bathtub. Owner told me they used buckets for toilets
and tossed it out the window ) I would not have bothered with the
furniture if it had not been really good stuff...painted, so I covered
it with bleach before I put it in my car. Made a final check of the
house before departing, along with my brave and loyal friend who had
dibs on the table. At the top of the basement stairs there was a pile
of stuff and what first looked like an antique teddy bear ... not a
teddy bear but a dead cat!!!!!

Gack! I couldn't have lived with that furniture. Ever see the Macolm in
the Middle where Hal, after finding an antique chest, opens it and says "Who
would hang all these bowties upside down like that?" Yes, it ws BATS!

I'm flashing on an old cartoon where all the furniture in a room is
shivering in fear. Was that Beauty and the Beast? That's what I would see
looking at furniture that has "lived" through the experience you described.

That said, I rescued an incredibly stinky 12 by 6 deep rubber mat from a
restaurant to use in my darkroom. Took me two days, the bright sun, a
toilet brush and a bucket of Mr. Clean triple strength to even put a dent in
the stink. But it was soooo comfortable to stand on for hours at a time it
was worth it. Truth is, I am never happier than when I am rescuing some
item that still has useful life in it. And a few that don't. (-;

--
Bobby G.